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Common Name: Yellow Belly Slider
Size: Males typically get to about 8 inches. Females can reach 12 inches in size.
pH: They are fairly tolerant of a wide range of pH’s. Neutral pH of 7.0 is fine for them.
Minimum Recommended Tank Size: An adult female would need a minimum of at least 125 gallons to be housed comfortably. A male can be housed in a 55 gallon or larger tank. You would generally want to add about 40-50 extra gallons for extra turtles (depending on sex). These turtles are a basking species and should be provided with a basking spot to completely dry off on. In the wild, they utilize anything that sticks out of the water to bask. They are typically aggressive baskers and will make room on the basking spot. They can get along with other similar basking turtles such as maps, cooters, and other sliders. A simple enclosure will consist of a basking spot and the tank typically filled ¾ or more of the way to the top.
Native Location: Native to the southeastern US.
Temperature: They need a basking spot temperature of around 90F. The ambient air temperature should be around 80F. The water temperature for this species can vary from 75F to 82F. Warmer water temperatures can make the slider not bask, which can lead to serious health problems (shell rot, respiratory infection, etc).
Diet: These are omnivores by nature. Hatchlings and younger individuals are typically carnivorous. As they mature, they turn more towards a vegetarian diet. Care should be given not to feed too much protein as this can lead to pyramiding (shell deformity). A typical diet will consist of worms, fish, commercial pellets (reptomin and mazuri), romaine lettuce, and other veggies. They do seem to really enjoy anacharis as well.
Breeding: Fairly simple, but not recommended.
Gender Differences: The males have extremely long nails on the front legs as well as a very large tail. The females typically have a short tail and short nails on the front feet. Females are also bigger than males.
Aggression: They’re usually not very aggressive, except for when it comes to basking. Males will also fight with each other once they reach a mature age. They should be carefully watched for aggression issues.
Notes: These turtles need to have a source of UVB to help in the synthesis of vitamin D3 from calcium. This is necessary for the long term health of these turtles.
*Note Yellow Belly Slider is on right. Turtle on left is a Common Musk.
Melanistic Yellow Belly Slider
